Valve structure



March 3, 1933. R. E. NEWELL I 1,794,531

VALVE STRUCTURE Original Filed Dec. 2, 1921 Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITEDSTATES ROBERT E. nEwnLL, or IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA- VALVE STRUCTURE;

Original application filed December 2, 1927, Serial No. 237,170. Dividedand this application iiled April 23, 1930. Serial No. 446,571. Y i

My invention relates to valve structures, and more particularly to meansfor control ling the flow of gaseous fuel to burners for water heaters,etc., and is a division of my application Serial N 0. 237,170.

In gas heaters for water, as in the case of domestic water heaters, itis common .practice to provide a main supply of gas to the burner foreffecting actual heating of the Water and an auxiliary supply of gasfora pilot flame, which will burn continuously or will ignite gas from themain supply each time such main supply is turned on as by athermostatically-controlled valve. In such devices there is commonly nomeans for automatically controlling the supply of gas for the pilotflame nor, for automatically shutting off the main flow of gas in casethe pilot flame should become extinguished. To provide a pilot flame, itis usual to supply a small by-pass for gas from the supply line to theburner, and, due to the very small size of the orifice required, suchby-pass frequently becomes clogged, particularly where the gas containsforeign matter. 7

One object of my invention is to provide means for automaticallyshutting off the supply of all gas to the burner in case the flame orpilot becomes extinguished.

Another object of'my inventionis-to provide means for automaticallycontrolling the supply of gas to the pilot flame, so that such flame maybe maintained at a predetermined volume.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form ofthermostat element that will not oxidize or deteriorate in the intenseheat of the burner flame.

Still another object of my invention is to simplify and improvegenerally the structure and operation of fluid fuel burner devices.

One form which my invention may take is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevational view of heating apis asectional view, on an enlarged scale, of oneof the control valves ofFig. 1, andFig. 3 is a perspective view of the protecting sleeve for thethermal element of Fig. 2.

1 The invention is shown as employed in convalve casing 8.

paratus equipped with my invention; Fig. 2,

nection with a domestic water heater struc ture comprising a storagetank 4, heating coils 5, a burner 6, and a thermostaticallycontrolledvalve 7 for normally controlling the main flow of gas to the burner inaccord- I ance with the temperature of the water within the tank 4.These parts may be of various well-known forms.

My invention resides more especially in the provision of an auxiliaryvalve control devicewhereby-a supply of gas for a pilot flame isautomatically maintained at a predetermined rate, and whereby the gas,both the auxiliary supply for the pilot flame and the main supply, areautomatically cut off in case the flames become extinguished. Thecontrol apparatus above referred to includes a valve casing 8 havingvalve seats 9 and 10, with a space or chamber between them, and coverplates or castings l1 and 12. The casing 8 is provided with an inlet 13through which the main gas supply enters from thethermostatically-controlled valve 7 and with an outlet 14 thatcommunicates with the burner 6. A cover plate 11 is provided with aninlet 15 through which gas for the pilot flame may flow from a supplyline 15a that has connection with the mam supply line 7a in advance ofthe thermostat 7.

Valve discs 16 and 17 co-operate with the seats 9 and 10 respectively.The valve disc 16 is loosely connected to a stem 18, which stem isslidably supported in a boss 19 of the The outer end of the stem 18loosely engages with the valve 17. A spring 20 urges the valve 16 to itsseat and, acting through the stem 18, urges the valve 17 from its seat.Normally the valve 18 will be closed and gas for the burner 6 will flowfrom the primary valve 7, through the inlet 13, past the valve 17,.andthrough the outlet 14.. A set screw 16a has threaded engagement with thevalve 16, and abuts against the stem 18, so that such valve can beadjusted with respect to the stem and the valve 17.

A thermostatic element 21, which may be in the form of a copper or brasstube, is tapped into the cover plate 12 and extends above the burner 6.A push rod 22 of carbon or other non-expanding material is enclosedwithin the tube; 21, its outer end abutting against a screw plug 23 thatis carried by the tube 21, and its inner end extending into a recess inthe valve 17. Should the burner flame be extinguished, it will be seenthat the tube 21 will cool and shrink, thus drawing the rod 22inwardly-and pushing the valve 17 to its seat, thereby shutting offentirely the flow of gas to the burner.

m In cases where the main supply of gas from the valve 17 is reducedbelow the predetermined volume for the pilot flame, the temperature ofthe thermostat tube 21 will, of course, be reduced, causing it tocontract to such extent as to move the valve 16 from its seat, therebyadmitting suflicient gas past the valves 16 and 17 to maintain a normalpilot flame. Should the flame in the burner 6 become completelyextinguished, the tube 21 will shrink to such extent as to completelyclose the valve 17 shutting off flow of gas both from the primary valve7 and the pilot control valve 16. In order to againestablish flow of gasto the burner, a lighted match 25 will first be applied to the tube 21,,causing it to quickly expand and allow the valve 17 tdopen underpressure of the spring 20, for the passage of gas which will be ignitedby the matc A snug-fitting sleeve 25 is provided around the tube 21,.for the purpose of sealing it off from the air and consequentlypreventing oxid'ization thereof, through contact with the burner flame.This sleeve may be of chromium steel, which will resist oxidization'sayup to 2000 F., or may be of various other suitable materials. The sleeveis thin enough to readily transmit heat to the co per tube, and may beremoved and replaced liy taking off the cap 23 and sliding the sleeveof! the tube 21, if the cap 23 is of-considerably greator diameterthan'the tube. However, if the cap is of small diameter,-asshown in Fig.

burner flame and serving to actuate saidvalve, and a s 'lit metallicsleeve closely embracing said t ermostat and operatively disconnectedtherefrom. 1

3. The combination with a fuel burner, of a fuel control valve therefor,a thermostat rod disposed in position to be acted upon by the burnerflame and serving to actuate said valve, and a yieldable sleeve ofheat-conductin material snugly fitting around the said 4. Thecombination with a fuel burner, of a fuel control valve therefor, athermostat rod positioned to be acted upon by the burner flame andserving to actuate the valve, and a rotective heat-conducting memberyieldab y engaging said rod and having direct heat conducting contacttherewith during ex-.

pansion and contraction of the rod, the said member being interposedbetween the flame and the said rod.

In testimony whereof I, the said ROBERT E. NEWELL, have hereunto set myhand.

' ROBERT E. NEWELL.

2, the sleeve 25 can be slid 06 without disturbing the cap and,consequently, the setting of the thermostatthat is without disturbingthe relative positions-of the tube 21 and-the rod, with consequentvariation in adjustment of the valves 16. and. 17 relative tothe tube21. Due to the relatively low co-efiicient of expansion, it is s lit itsentire length to spring or yield so it will not bind on the tube 21v andprevent the normal expansion or contraction thereof. v

If the thermostat? is a, snap-acting or quick-acting one, which suddenlyshuts ofi all gas to the main burner flame, it will be necessary to usean independent pilot burner which remains lighted, and to place theelement 22 within a zone affected by the pilot flame but little afiectedby the main burner flame.

Otherwise, the sudden extinguishing of the main burner would cause thepilot to go out "also, as the element 22'would not have time 5 to coolsuflicientlv to open the" valvedisc 16'.

